'Yellowstone' Star Forrie J. Smith Kicked Off Plane for Bizarre Reason

Since its debut in 2018, Yellowstone has become a beloved TV series thanks in part to its cast members including Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, and Cole Hauser. On the show, Forrie J. Smith plays veteran ranch hand Lloyd Pierce. But on March 23, Smith found himself in the middle of some real-life drama.

According to the actor, he was kicked off an unnamed flight at the airport in Houston for refusing to sit next to a passenger wearing a mask. He claims that the flight crew booted him off the plane because he was drunk, but he insisted it was because he was adamant in not sharing a row with a masked flyer.

Moments after the incident, Smith took to Instagram to explain what happened.

"You know my social media people tell me that you like me face to face. But you know what? I can't say face to face what I want," he began.

"I just got kicked off a plane in... Houston, Texas," he said after being reminded of where he was, "because I told them that I didn't feel comfortable sitting next to somebody with a mask on."

He noted that he'd been imbibing at the airport before his flight, but he wasn't under the influence while aboard the plane. "Yeah, I've been drinking. I've been sitting in the airport for three hours. Yeah, I'm drinking. But I ain't drunk," he said. "But they threw me off the plane because I'm drunk. Because you people won't stand up and tell everybody what bulls--t this is."

"I just told them I didn't feel comfortable about sitting next to somebody that had to wear a mask, and I'm off the plane," he concluded.

Smith has made headlines in the past for his controversial views on COVID safety measures. Back in 2022, he apologized to fans after missing the SAG Awards due to his unvaccinated status, claiming he doesn't even vaccinate his dogs and horses. Masks are no longer required on any airline, although passengers are still allowed to wear them. The exact reason for his objection to being near a masked passenger was not clear.

The second part of Yellowstone's fifth and final season premieres Nov. 10.